I Know I'm a Wolf
by Mein Liebling
Summary: Dear rabbit, my legs are getting weak... chasing you; And the snowfields... Wouldn't seem so big, if you knew; That this blood on my teeth, it is far beyond dry... / "So you came back?" . "Don't flatter yourself, it was curiosity." / [Animal!AU, friendship Regulus/Barty, for Sophy]


_**Dear rabbit, my legs are getting weak... chasing you  
And the snowfields... Wouldn't seem so big, if you knew  
That this blood on my teeth, it is far beyond dry...  
And I've captured you once, but it wasn't quite right...**_

_**So I'm tellin' you.. That you'll be safe with me.**_

* * *

He curled up in the hallow as the beating footsteps of the hunters passed right by him, their harsh mutterings and clicks of their guns making him wince and huddle even closer to the wall in fright. The bark scratched at him, but he didn't care, as he whimpered quietly and bit down on his hand to keep from outright wailing.

It started off as a warm day. It always does on the days which start off well and the spiral into despair. Bodies were thrown everywhere and blood seeped into the ground, covering the bugs and leaves in the harsh red colour. The wind roared and pulled at the wings of the birds, making them squawk and leave the area, as if it was cursed, which he wouldn't be surprised if it was. The graveyard was ominously quiet.

But it wasn't like that before.

On that warm day, in the spring meadow, there were animals everywhere. Peacefully, wolf cubs wrestled childishly on the small mounds of dirt. Elks pranced around the edges, drinking at the small pond and suspiciously eying the wolf mothers who were on the other side of the meadow. He was there, wrestling with the wolves, and the deer gave him a wide berth as he tore at the ground and grinned savagely at them. The sky was cloudy on the outskirts, a storm was coming, but it was far away from the minds of those who inhabited the grassy plain, who went along their merry way.

It was how every morning was spent; it should be nothing different on this day.

But then, one of the deer raised their head, and let out a startled sound.

Everyone else in the area turned to look at the deer, only to be horror struck when a bang startled them and shot said deer in the head, making it flop to the ground in pain and wither for a few moments before going still, eyes still wide and glassy and its mouth open to warn the others.

He scrambled on his legs and pushed off the ground, running with the rest of his pack as they dodged the horrid bullets (not that he knew what they were called, only that they brought death and sadness to his pack) and weaved in and out of the trees.

The hunters cursed in their strange language and took off after them, one of them stopped and picked up the body of the dead elk and heaved it over his shoulder, before he took off after them also.

He felt frightened.

He had heard tales of the horrible creatures that had their long pieces of wood which fired deadly missiles from the older members of the pack, but they usually came in late summer, during the seventh or eighth full moon. It wasn't even the fifth, but here they were.

The clouds rolled in, darkening the paths and making the men behind him curse and slow down ever so slightly, but that was enough, as he ignored the sticks that stuck to his calloused palms, he bolted into the darkness. He didn't know how long had passed, but somehow he had gotten separated from the rest of his pack. He hissed as one of the bullets grazed his back, but for the most part, he had managed to put space between him and his pursuers, buying him enough time to find someplace to hide and hopefully avoid them. He shuddered to imagine what would happen.

_There!_

He wasn't familiar with this part of the forest- he had strayed into the other pack's territory, and he hoped they would be sympathetic to his cause- but he took the chance when he saw it.

Someway down the path, he could see a small dead tree that had a hollow in its core, just big enough to climb into. (He ignored the stray thought of "Well their weapons could fit in it easily too.")

As soon as it was close enough, he threw himself into the hole, burying his entire body into the darkened corners and stilling his breath, all the while praying that he and his pack would be alright until the next season.

He shivered as their loud unfamiliar yells echoed off the wood, and he let out an involuntary, sucked in breath.

The hunters paused.

He stifled his breath and froze. _No, don't find me. Don't look in here. Don't, don't, don't-_

They murmured in their strange language, before a rustle of a bush made them pause before charging straight at it, leading them in the opposite direction from where he was hiding.

He let out a breath, and tried to calm his beating heart.

"Whatcha doing down there?"

"Argggg!" He would have fallen over if he was standing up, and his heart beat uncomfortably fast.

He looked straight up.

There, in a small hole in the tree, peaked out a small squirrel.

He scowled. "N-Nothing."

"It ain't nothing if you're running," the squirrel replied snootily, his tail flashing back and forth. "So what's wrong?"

He turned his head to the side and slowly leaned down to check if anyone was still outside. "Hunters. They're not supposed to be here this early in the season."

"Ah, that would explain the screams." The squirrel nodded sagely.

The wolf blinked. "Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be screaming and running away from me?"

The squirrel looked offended. "Why? You're nothing but a pup. I've got nothing to be scared of you."

He let out a small hiss. "I'm dangerous! I could eat you right now at this moment!"

"Oh yeah?" the squirrel sounded _amused _of all things.

"Y-Yeah!" the wolf brought his paw up to smack the squirrel, only for said creature to nimbly move onto another branch that acted as a bridge between two holes. "See?"

"Ya missed."

He scrunched up his nose and scowled. "You're no fun."

"And you're a pup."

The wolf brought his head back down to the hole and let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the pathway was empty. He took a quick sniff and confirmed this, and he placed his paw outside, followed by another, and another.

"...The name's Barty. Barty Crouch Junior. If you're ever in the neighborhood, pup, come see me."

The wolf tilted his head as he stepped out of the hole, and stuck his snout back in to stare at the grey squirrel. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you're lost, obviously, and no doubt you shall be again. At least this way you'll have someone to find and show ya the way back."

Sound reasoning.

The wolf fumbled around a little bit, before he grabbed his footing and muttered back, "Regulus. Regulus Black."

"Ah! One of the Black Clan! I should have expected with fur like that. You're most certainly not a reject then. Come see me once in a while, Regulus. I have a feeling you'll need guidance once in a while."

Regulus blinked. "O…kay then. I'll see you again then, psychotic squirrel."

He could hear Barty's booming laugh even from outside of the tree.

* * *

"Regulus! Oh thank god you're safe." His mother rushed over to him and showered him in sweet words and motherly nudges, but he all knew it was for show.

Most of the pack members were huddled in a large circle, listening to Orion, Regulus's father, deliver a speech on the fallen warriors they had lost to the hunters.

He stood there quietly in the back, next to his brother, Sirius, who smelt of burnt wood and slightly like that wolf he was always running off and consorting with in another pack. Regulus paid his respect to the warriors and howled up at the moon, a heavy burden on his heart as he watched them cover the bodies and silently wish them a goodbye.

His food tasted like ashes even a month after that.

"Regulus, why do you smell of squirrel?"

Regulus blinked as he turned to face his brother. "O-Oh, that? I hid in a tree, since they were following me, and some crazy squirrel lived there."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Barty Crouch would you? The first or the second?"

"The… second?"

Sirius let out a barking laugh. "Ah, a little mad that one is, yes, but some say that he predicts things that always come true. He didn't happen to tell you a prophecy of some sort, did he?"

_Other than predicting me coming back to see him… _"No."

"Oh well."

That was the last anyone had ever spoken to Regulus about his visit to the supposed seer of the forest.

* * *

"So, you came back."

"Don't flatter yourself, it was curiosity."

Barty let out one of his booming laughs, the one that echoed all around and made Regulus feel more at home in the small burrow. "So the little pup's got more bite to him this time 'round? I like that."

Regulus felt heat prick up on his face, and was happy to have the dark fur covering his cheeks. "Shut up. I have a couple questions for you."

The squirrel curled up in his hole, his beady black eyes staring straight at Regulus. "Fire away."

Regulus ignored how the words brought up the familiar burnt taste in his mouth. "Is what they say true? That you're a seer?"

Barty sighed. "My dear Regulus, being a seer and _seeing _are completely different things. Having prophecies are another. Although all linked in a branch, they are utmostly not connected."

The wolf let the information sink in for a few moments. "So is that a yes or a no?"

"It's a maybe. Goodness, kids are just getting even more stupid with every generation."

"O-Oi! I'm not dumb!"

"Never said that~!"

"Yes you did!"

"Nope!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

"No- urg!" Regulus collapsed on the ground and let out annoyed puff of air, looking up at the smug squirrel. "I hate you."

"Love you too, Reggy."

"Don't call me that!"

Barty smiled. "I'll call you whatever I feel like."

They bantered back and forth for a little while longer, before Regulus noticed how the sun was dying quickly in the east, and he quickly stood up and stretched after being in the same position for so long.

"I'll be back tomorrow- if that's alright, of course." He added in quickly.

Barty blinked, before a wide grin grew across his face. "I'd enjoy that. More time to point out your idiocy."

"Oi!"

* * *

_For Sophy (Slytherin Cat), Regulus/Barty. It's fairly strange, I know, I hope you don't mind. I got inspiration from a song and I took it quite literally, so…_

_The song is 'I Know I'm a Wolf' by Young Heretics._

_For Camp Potter: storm, ashes, reject, first aid._

_I don't own Harry Potter._


End file.
